Fourth Quarter Push Falls Short in 27-24 Loss to Gardner-Webb

Saturday, November 8

Boiling Springs, N.C.

12:30 PM

Southeast Missouri State University

3-7 , 2-4

Gardner-Webb

6-4 , 4-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Southeast Mo. St.	7	3	0	14	24
Gardner-Webb	14	0	3	10	27

Final Statistics

11/8/2025 4:45:00 PM | Football

Box Score Final Statistics

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Southeast Missouri (3-7, 2-4) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter but came up short in a 27-24 loss to Gardner-Webb (6-4, 4-2) Saturday afternoon at Spangler Stadium.

Down, 24-10, SEMO made it a one-score game when Kalvin Gilbert caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jax Leatherwood with 6:04 remaining.

Cam Pedro's 59-yard reception two plays before that set up Gilbert's team-high sixth receiving touchdown.

After Charles Viorel's 22-yard field goal gave GWU a 27-17 advantage with just under two minutes to go, the Redhawks covered 75 yards on their second-straight scoring drive to get within three.

Leatherwood hooked up with Donnie Cheers on the 10th play of that drive to cut the Runnin' Bulldogs lead to 27-24 with 19 seconds on the clock.

SEMO attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. An illegal block by the Redhawks gave GWU the ball at its own 48-yard line and the Runnin' Bulldogs ran out the clock.

SEMO went three-and-out on the game's opening drive and GWU scored on its first possession to take an early lead.

Cole Pennington ran 36 yards for a touchdown at the end of a 5-play, 60-yard drive giving the Runnin' Bulldogs a 7-0 advantage with 10:50 left to play in the first quarter.

The Redhawks quickly answered marching 91 yards in nine plays.

Brandon Epton, Jr. ran for 42 yards on two carries to key the drive that finished with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jax Leatherwood to Andrew Civey. Civey's second touchdown of the season tied things up at 7-7 with 6:52 remaining.

GWU regained the lead on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Pennington to Elvin Fofanah with less than two minutes in the first quarter.

Jobe Bryant's 61-yard punt return set up SEMO with excellent field position at the Runnin' Bulldogs 34-yard line.

Following back-to-back pass interference penalties, the Rehawks were at the GWU 15-yard line and later settled for a 25-yard field goal by Justin Keller closing the Runnin' Bulldogs' lead to 14-10 with 10:36 to go in the second quarter.

That score would stay the same at the intermission.

Leatherwood 21-of-39 passes for 304 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, while Pedro caught six passes for 141 yards, his second 100-yard receiving game this season.

Defensively, Adrian Patterson led the Redhawks with 10 tackles. Jeremy Walton and David Jones followed with seven tackles each. Walton also had 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, two breakups and four quarterback hurries.

GWU, who leads the Ohio Valley Conference-Big South in total and rushing yards, had 467 total yards and outgained SEMO 188-4 on the ground.

SEMO travels to Western Illinois for its final road game of the season on Nov. 15.